The Walla Walla County Sheriff's office says overdose drug rates are becoming an epidemic, and likely to climb higher as we go through 2018.

The Sheriff's office released new data Tuesday morning, saying the rate of "accidental overdose" is five times higher than 2011. The most commonly overdosed drug by far is meth, following by Oxycodone and Methadone. Prescription drugs such as Oxy and Methadone are skyrocketing across the nation as well.

The Sheriff's Department is urging as residents to pay close attention to friends and family, and look for signs of potential drug issues. They say that's the first step towards preventing overdose tragedies and helping curb the growing numbers.